A Walk in the Park
by paperbutterfly
Summary: [ONE-SHOT] The snake is not whom he seems. So, what was Ayame-san truly like? Kuramae Miine relates her first meeting with him...


"Miine?" I turned to meet the eyes of my boss.  
  
"Yes, Ayame-san," I said automatically while examining a black and white maid costume.  
  
"Remember when you first met me?" He asked, flicking back a stray strand of his whitish silver hair and fixing his golden eyes on me.  
  
"Actually, I don't remember," I lied.  
  
"How could you?" he asked wailing before adding, " forget how you met gorgeous, wonderful me?"  
  
I sweatdropped.  
  
**Four years ago** Actually, I never forgot how I met Ayame-san. You just couldn't.  
  
I, Kuramae Miine had just gotten into Tokyo University and was at the perfect age of eighteen. I was born into a wealthy family- my father was a usually mild-mannered man, but he often cared too much about his business. My mother was a gentle and quiet woman whom would always spare a moment to play with us or tell us stories. She encouraged to show our creativity and believed in us- my five siblings and I all flourished under her.  
  
As the youngest of the six children, I was rather spoiled and often had my way to everything. From the age of seven when I decided that making clothing for Barbie dolls was a fun pastime, I decided resolutely that I would become a fashion designer, one way or other. Often, teachers would complain that the margins of my homework assignment would be covered with numerous doodles of my imagination.  
  
I thought that I had everything under control- I knew my ambition and thought that everything was going as planned. That is, was, until a few days before I was about to go to college and move into my dormitory.  
  
"Father wants you," My oldest sister told me. I grimaced slightly as I stopped in the middle of a sketch and hopped down from my thinking place, which happened to be behind the curtains. (^_^)  
  
"He's been bellowing for the last two hours," she warned me before adding, " You'd better go fast."  
  
I sighed again and pouted, smoothing my skirt.  
  
I knocked on the cherry-wood door of my father's study and braced myself for the worst. My father stood in the window with his back towards me and his hands behind his back, looking at his estate with a stony expression on his face. Then, he turned around to look at me with a frown on his face.  
  
I stepped back slightly and gripped the edge of his table.  
  
"Ah, Miine-chan," He said briskly.  
  
"Otou-san," I mumbled.  
  
"I heard from your professors that you decided to major in fashion."  
  
"Yes," I said coolly staring down at my feet.  
  
He picked up a round glass ball, which caught the prism of the light before putting it down lightly on the table. Then, he looked up to meet my eyes. " You know, you're the only one of my daughters whom got to Tokyo University," He cleared his throat. " Change your major to business immediately."  
  
"What?" I asked and grew cold.  
  
"Your talent is too precious to waste," He continued using his hand to gesture. " I want you to be the Vice-president of my business. After I retire, your older brother Makoto will take over as president. We need a strong vice-president with loyalty to the family; none of your sisters have the skill. They're too air-headed if I may criticize my own children. You're the only person available.  
  
"What if I don't want to study business?" I asked summoning up my courage.  
  
"You will," He said as his eyes hardened. " I've already have everything planned out and I've already finished with your forms. Tokyo University will not accept a Kuramae Miine whom studies fashion anymore." He narrowed his eyes at me. " Do you understand? Fashion designers are rubbish."  
  
"I've already made up my mind," I said curtly.  
  
"Good," He said expecting my answer to be positive. " I thought you would agree with me."  
  
"I am going to go and study fashion," I said firmly.  
  
"Then, I shall disown you," He said quietly.  
  
"Fine," I snapped.  
  
"A daughter who is disobedient is nothing in this world. Go and don't step in the Kuramae house again," The man whom was supposed to be my father turned his back to me. " I don't want to do this, Miine but you're forcing me into this unpleasant position. Please don't blame me."  
  
"I understand," I said coldly and then I ran. My perfect world of luxury and fineness was shattered into a thousand pieces. Glaring at him hatefully, I turned and ran. I ran down the halls covered with rich scarlet rugs. The wind was in my face as I ran from my past and into the future- something unknown but soon to be revealed. I ran out of the miserable prison I called my house, ignoring the servant's surprised looks.  
  
Finally I arrived at my secret place- a small bench under a large oak tree well hidden from view. It was Tokyo Park*, a place where I'd played when I was a bit younger. Then, later on it became a sanctuary for me- a place where I could think and doodle over my sketchbook. There, I started crying. Large hot tears rolled down my cheeks, scalding my skin as I buried my head in my arms to muffle the sound of my sobs.  
  
I was alone and so I let my mask slip.  
  
At least, I thought I was.  
  
It had started to drizzle slightly and I hadn't noticed until the raindrops mixed with tears rolled down my face lightly and brought me back to reality. I closed my eyes again and felt the cool air and the soft pattering of the rain, not noticing that someone else was also there. That was when I met //him//.  
  
The rain seemed to stop, but something was wrong- I could still hear the splashing of the light raindrops against the sidewalk. I looked up in astonishment to see what it was.  
  
For a moment, my breath almost stopped as I stared at the figure looming before me. It seemed to be a dream.even now as I relive the past. His whitish silver hair was tied back in a thick braid almost down to his waist, reminding me of elves. Light golden eyes flickered slightly in my direction, framing a feminine face and pale skin. He hadn't been so into the Chinese fashion back then and was wearing a navy blue sweatshirt and beige khaki pants which was ironed to perfection. In his hand, he held a large black umbrella over my head and his lips turned up in a brief smile.  
  
"Pretty girls shouldn't be alone in the rain," He said in a soft, melodic voice. It was hypnotizing and entrancing.  
  
I finally registered what he had said and blushed an embarrassing shade of beet red. I knew that I wasn't pretty- or at least I thought I wasn't. Chin- length straight light brown hair, wavy at the end. A pair of thick glasses framed my hazel eyes slightly flecked with green (my mother had tried to persuade me to change to contact lenses to no avail) and finally a small nose, which was the cause of my glasses always slipping. Besides that, I had a small frame and was slightly.vertically challenged.  
  
Besides, I must've looked horrible with my hair looking like a mop on my head and puffy red eyes. What a bad liar.  
  
"." I turned my head away from his piercing golden gaze. " The rain is my refuge-where all my worries are gone."  
  
"I didn't know that young girls had problems," He said dryly.  
  
"I am not a young girl!" I suddenly snapped indignantly. " I'm exactly eighteen, thank you very much, and the most you can be is three or four years older than me!" Then as an afterthought I added, " I don't know who you are, and I don't care but don't you dare insult my height!"  
  
He laughed. Good lord. He //laughed//!  
  
"I never knew that girls were so aggressive. Then again, only Tori-kun and Yuki talk to me that way," He said tilting his head thoughtfully to one side. "I'm Souma Ayame, graduate of Kyoto University ( I don't know how I got in), age 23, and fashion designer at your service."  
  
"Kuramae Miine," I said quietly.  
  
"Oh? The daughter of Kuramae Tech.?" He asked, his golden eyes slightly flickering in interest.  
  
"Ex-daughter," I told him calmly. " Daughter no more."  
  
"Ah," He said as if he understood. " You still haven't told me why you're here."  
  
So, what else could I do? A living incarnation of a prince was asking me to tell him about me- I might never get the chance to talk to such a handsome guy again. Besides, I had plenty of time. So, I related my story to him. He was quite the audience- at the right parts he started sobbing (^_^) and grew somber at the mention of my father's name. Finally, he spoke after the brief silence hung in the air.  
  
"Come work for me."  
  
I stared at him. Blink. Blink. Blink.  
  
"No, really," He said in a more serious voice, " You can work for me. First six months, you can live at an apartment complex- I have two apartments so you can pick one of them. Then, after we get famous and strike it rich, we'll go 50/50. How does it sound?" He asked.  
  
It wasn't good. It was better than good, wonderful, and a dream come true.  
  
"Sure." I said, but in my excitement I was a little hesitant. " How do you even know that I'm good?"  
  
"The point isn't that," He said patiently as if talking to a small child. " It's the fact that you're determined even though you could lead a more stable life as the Vice-president of Kuramae Tech. Besides, soon they'll be chanting our names.'SOUMA! KURAMAE! SOUMA! KURAMAE!'" For emphasis, he dramatically pumped his fist into the air. I sweatdropped.  
  
  
  
We actually got along rather well- we were both 'creative, poor, misunderstood beings' as Ayame-san put it. Of course, most other people thought that we were crazy, eccentric, insane and absolutely scary. I preferred Ayame-san's way of categorizing us geniuses. But, you might differ.  
  
Sure, we didn't really 'strike it rich' as Ayame-san expected, but our little shop had plenty of business and was quite popular. That was when we decided to get a little more flashy- Ayame-san adopted the Chinese fashion- the russet red billowing costume with his hair loose. (Personally, I thought that he looked better with his hair in a braid, but don't tell him that.) And, we decided not to go along with the S.K thing, and instead adopted his name, 'Ayame.'  
  
I'd met Ayame-san's younger brother a couple of times and had to say that he was a sweet and polite, albeit quiet young man.until he punched Ayame- san on the nose. (-.-) But besides that, I thought he was very sweet. You'd never thought they'd be brothers though- Ayame-san may seem like an insane person at times (if I don't say so myself), but the thought of Yuki-san being dragged away by body-guards like Ayame-san was, wouldn't be quite possible. Ayame-san told me later that they hadn't gotten along very well in the past- mainly his fault so he was trying to 'redeem himself'. Unfortunately, Ayame-san always managed to screw up around Yuki-san.  
  
Shigure-san was, well.one of 'us.'  
  
"Meet Souma Shigure! A.k.a. Gure-kun," Ayame-san said grandly one day.  
  
"Ahahaha. Is this your assistant?" Shigure-san asked.  
  
"No, Gure-kun, she's my partner."  
  
"Ah.did you know that Ayame is our family's 'drama- queen'?" He whispered in my ear.  
  
"Are you telling her something bad about me?" Ayame-san asked giving him a Look.  
  
"No.how's your work?" Shigure-san asked quickly.  
  
"Great!" Ayame-san said optimistically. " We're in the middle of a dress."  
  
"But we're stuck," I interjected.  
  
"Can't decide for the fabric to be gold or silver."  
  
"Gold is classy-"  
  
"But silver is more subdued."  
  
"Silk-"  
  
"Is light and airy-"  
  
"-but too hot to wear in the summer."  
  
"White-"  
  
"is pretty-"  
  
"But too plain alone."  
  
"So, how's your work?" Ayame-san asked resting his chin on his hand.  
  
"Great! My latest novel is coming along just as I expected it to!!" Shigure- san said smiling.  
  
"That's what he always says," Ayame-san whispered in my ear.  
  
"But, I'm driving Mit-chan crazy as always," Shigure-san said in a devil- may-care manner.  
  
"Ah." We said in unison nodding our heads.  
  
Hatori-san was a very quiet man last time I met him. I've seen him a couple of times- he drops by our shop a couple of times either to lecture Ayame- san on something or just scold him for the sake of it. He bowed to me politely a couple of times and I bowed back. Once though, he looked at me strangely, and glanced back between Ayame-san and I. Don't know why.  
  
That's mainly all of Ayame-san's family I know. He told me that he had a few younger cousins but they were usually away at school or something. Once, I met Yuki-san's friend, Honda Tohru, and found that she was a very cute and adorable girl. Perhaps, she wasn't quite stunningly gorgeous but I could tell how both Yuki and that orange-haired Kyou fell for her immediately. Of course, Ayame-san and I immediately set to making that maid costume, which *happened * to be purchased by Shigure-san.  
  
***** "It's raining," Ayame-san noted absently as he finished the dress.  
  
"Yes," I nodded my head.  
  
"Do you want to take a walk in the park?" He asked, sweeping me an elegant bow.  
  
"Certainly," I curtsied and smiled as we linked arms.  
  
Perhaps, people did stare at us- we were an odd pair, and quite unlikely couple. And as for all the strange things Ayame-san did.well, that was Ayame.  
  
So, we took a walk in the park.  
  
[OWARI]  
  
Author's Note~ I had a writer's block for all the other fanfics/ stories I was doing so I decided to do a one shot. Why Fruits Baskets? Because, I thought that it was really cute and I never wrote a Fruits Baskets story before. You often see that people write a lot about Kyou, Tohru or Yuki. But, I wanted to write about.Ayame. Yes, Ayame. *starry eyes * He's a very dramatic person, and you can see him throughout the anime/manga. I've noticed that he seems a little like a pervert (okay, A LOT) at times and has a .messed up mind. But, I luv him and I'm sure that some of you fan girls do too.  
  
I've also noticed that Kuramae Miine is often ignored. I know, she's not really that important but I thought that doing a story about her would be cute and fun. Also, I'm aware of the fact that some people just call her 'assistant'. But, she was an interesting character to me since, well, she worked with Ayame and actually managed to get along with him without freaking out or punching him on the nose like Yuki *sweatdrop *  
  
This story actually came out pretty fast, since I didn't have anything to do and it was raining. I know, raining. How about that? I got a little stuck on the title though, because I didn't know if I should've called it, 'A Walk in the *Rain *' or this, or something else. Confusing, ne?  
  
Fruits Baskets.not mine. 


End file.
